Pronounced: uh-GAST, adj

Notes: You probably know this word, but I wanted to share its background

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Yesterday’s word

The word concupiscence is “strong desire; lust”

First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1300s

Background / Comments

Our word came from the Latin word concupiscere (to desire ardently), which is made up of con- (an intensifier prefix) and cupere (to desire). Our word is used in the KJV of the Bible; it is neither archaic or obsolete; it is just a word that isn’t in common use.

Pronounced: kon-KYOO-pih-suhns, noun

Notes: This word I am familiar with, but could not precisely define it – I don’t think it’s well known

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Yesterday’s word

The word greenmail is “the practice of buying enough of a company’s stock to threaten a hostile takeover and then reselling it to the company at an above-market price”

First usage

Our word came into English in the 1980s

Background / Comments

I don’t spend a lot of time reading about corporate takeovers or even would-be takeovers, or else I may have known our word. The “green” part of our word goes back to 1862 when the US government began to use green ink to print paper money — it wasn’t long until “green” referred to money. The “mail” part is much older; it goes back to the late 1000s where is meant “payment” or “rent”. It survives in the 1500s word “blackmail” – a payment that Scottish border chiefs extracted in exchange for immunity from pillage.

Pronounced: GREEN-male, noun

Notes: Not a word I knew (again)

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Yesterday’s word

The word disquisition is “a formal discussion on a subject; discourse; dissertation”

First usage

Our word came into English in the early 1600s

Background / Comments

Our word looked a bit to me like “inquisition”, but it came from the Latin word disquiere (to investigate), which is made of up dis- (an intensifier prefix) and quaerere (to see or ask).

Pronounced: dis-kwuh-ZISH-uhn, noun

Notes: Not a word I knew

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Yesterday’s word

The word inchoate means “being only partly in existence or operation; incipient – especially imperfectly formed or formulated; formless; incoherent”

First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1500s

Background / Comments

I thought that our word ended in “ate”, not “uht” – but it turns out that the British pronunciation does end with “ate”. I also thought that the “ch” sounded like the “ch” in “chum” instead of a “k” sound. Our word came the Latin word inchoare (to start work on; literally “to hitch up”), which is made from in- (pertaining to) and cohum (the part of a yoke to which the beam of a plow is fitted). Hooking this up is the first step in plowing a field; thus, our word has the concept of the beginning of an idea, or the early stages of a plan.

Pronounced: in-KOH-uht, adj

Notes: Not only did I not know the meaning, I wasn’t pronouncing it properly

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Yesterday’s word

The word stridor means “a harsh, grating or creaking sound”

First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1600s

Background / Comments

Our word is often used for the harsh vibrating sound that occurs when breathing with an airway obstruction. Our word came from the Latin word stridere (to make a harsh sound).

Pronounced: STRY-duhr, noun

Notes: Another word I’ve never run across (but I do know another word that descends from the same source)

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Yesterday’s word

The word inimical means

• being adverse often by reason of hostility or malevolence
• hostile or unfriendly

First usage

Our word came into English in the mid-1600s

Background / Comments

Our word came from the Latin word inimicus, which is a combination of in- (not) and amicus (friend). In current English, we don’t use our word to describe people; it is used to describe forces, concepts, or situations that are in some way harmful or hostile.

Pronounced: ih-NIH-mih-kuhl, adj

Notes: Looks like “unable to be imitated” (but it’s not)

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Yesterday’s word

The word scansorial means “related to climbing”

First usage

Our word came into English in the early 1800s

Background / Comments

Our word came from the Latin verb scandere (to climb)

Pronounced: SCAN-sor-ee-uhl, adj

Notes: I’ve never run across this word

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Yesterday’s word

The word lollapalooza (also lallapalooza, lalapalooza, or lollapaloosa) is “one that is extraordinarily impressive; an outstanding example”

First usage

Our word came into English in the late 1800s

Background / Comments

There is a music festival held annually in Chicago that’s called lollapalooza. People aren’t sure where our word came from. Our word sometimes is used as a gambling term for a made-up hand used to trick an inexperienced player. However, our word is primarily used in the same way as “humdinger” and “doozy” are used. The 1930s cartoonist Rube Goldberg created a character named “Lala Palooza”.

Pronounced: lah-luh-puh-LOO-zuh, noun

Notes: I’ve heard the word, but I did not know the meaning

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Yesterday’s word

The word descamisado is “a very poor person”

First usage

Our word came into English in the early 1800s

Background / Comments

Our word came from the Spanish word descamisado (shirtless), which is made up of des- (not) and camisa (shirt) – the idea is that a very poor person cannot even afford a shirt.

Pronounced: des-ka-me-SAH-doh, noun

Notes: I don’t think I’ve ever run across this world

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Yesterday’s word

The word will-o’-the-wisp is

• a light that appears at night over marshy ground
• a misleading or elusive goal or hope

First usage

Our word came into English in the early 1600s

Background / Comments

I actually knew both meanings of our word, but I found the background information interesting: did you know that “jack-o’-lantern” was originally another word for a will-o’-the-wisp? (I didn’t). In marshy areas, gas from decaying plants can cause a flame-like phosphorescence. In the old days, this was called “Will with the wisp”, which turned into will-o’-the-wisp (a “wisp” is a bundle of sticks [or paper] used as a torch). These lights have also been called “spook-lights” or “ghost-lights” in the United States. A more scientific term is “ignis fatuus”, which is Latin for “foolish flame”. Because these lights look like a flickering lamp or lantern, some travelers would foolishly try to follow them and wander into the marsh. Personally, I’ve never seen a will-o’-the-wisp, but I’ve not lived around marshy areas. Sightings of will-o’-the-wisps are rare today; much marshland has been drained and converted into farmland. It is thought that these lights are caused by a combination of marsh gas (given off by decaying vegetable matter) oxidizing with phosphine and diphosephane, which is spontaneously flammable in air. As far as I can tell from research, no one has successfully created a will-o’-the-wisp in the lab.